Working hard at networking? Here are some simple and effective ways to make the most out of your follow up one-on-one meetings
Most people I speak with really seem to enjoy networking as an important part of developing their business. The belief that networking is a more effective way to grow your business than cold calling is widely held. Typically, I would agree with this statement. Unfortunately, many business professionals treat networking much like the other areas of their business…they wing it. Usually, there is no set plan, execution or follow through to get the best and most predictable results. If you have made cold calls in your past, imagine calling without a call list, phone script or suggested next step to discuss with the person on the phone. From a statistical standpoint, you would be in serious trouble. The same rules apply to networking, it’s a numbers game. The key is to improve your odds and become more efficient as quickly as possible. After attending many events and meeting many people, it’s important to set up one-on-one meetings to build strategic relationships. I would like to share a simple and effective way to decrease the amount of time invested while increasing your results when going on these networking meetings.The first thing to remember is that qualifying people after an event is an important part of networking. This is not to say that meeting one-on-one with everyone you speak with isn’t an option; it’s just not typically the most effective way to go. Asking some good questions when meeting someone new is a good way to qualify someone you may want to invest time. A couple good questions to ask might include:
“How long have you been in business?”
“What do you look for in a strategic partner for your business?”
“Tell me about your networking activities and the types of people you usually help.”
“Who do you currently partner with to get referrals?”
The idea behind asking these questions is to gain an understanding of his ability to give and partner with you. If you find that he is newer in business, is only out for himself or has an established partner in your industry, you may not want to invest your time with this individual. Since time is one of our most valued assets in business, we must be careful with who we meet.
Now that we have qualified who we are meeting with and how he might be able to partner with us, it’s time to set up a one-on-one networking meeting. There is one critical element that most people skip when meeting with someone new, setting up an agenda. While there should be a more formal agenda set on the phone prior to meeting, I would like to give you the four step process for an effective one-on-one networking meeting. By following the suggested steps, you will find your meeting will have a more successful outcome than in the past.
After exchanging pleasantries and building a little rapport, you may want to suggest the following steps to your associate sitting across the table from you:
1. Explain who you are, your past and what you do.
2. Describe how you help people. (provide multiple examples)
3. Ask what you are looking for in a good referral.
4. Discuss what small step could be taken to move the relationship forward or help each other in some small way
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